Hinge type finishing packs with replaceable units for cylindrical hub structures

ABSTRACT

The rotary flap or finishing wheel or tool has a plurality of radially extending finishing units or packs mounted in a circumferential series on a hub structure. The finishing units or packs are each pivotally mounted on the body structure by a dual clip-type assembly including an inner axially elongated and rigid pivoting clip member forming the primary component of the pack and an outer axially elongated clamping or clip member supporting or carrying the finishing or fill material and forming the secondary component of the pack. The pivotal mount of the inner clip member is afforded at an inner axially extending keyholetype opening of the clip or at an axial through-bore, either of which formations at least partially encircles and is adapted to pivot on an axial pin component located adjacent the outer periphery of the hub structure. At a point radially outwardly of its pivot pin bore, as well as of the outer periphery of the hub structure, the inner clip member has an axially slidable, dovetail or tongue-and-groove type connection to the aforementioned secondary, radially outwardly exposed outer clip or clamping member which, like the inner clip member, extends the entire axial length of the pack. The outer clamping member has a pair of radial arms which receives the fill or finishing material therebetween. In any one of a number of versions of dove-tail, tongue-and-groove, or keyhole type connections between the primary inner clip member and the secondary outer clip member, the latter is slidably assembled on, and removable from, the former to permit a ready installation and replacement of the secondary clip member in relation to the primary clip member and the hub structure.

United States Patent [191 Belanger [451 Mar. 26, 1974 HINGETYPEFINISHING PACKS WITH REPLACEABLE UNITS FOR CYLINDRICAL HUB STRUCTURES[75] Inventor: James A. Belanger, Livonia, Mich.

[73] Assignee: Belanger, Inc., Northville, Mich.

[22] Filed: May 15, 1972 [21] Appl. No: 253,238

Primary Examiner-0thell M. Simpson Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Whittemore,Hulbert & Belknap [57] ABSTRACT The rotary flap or finishing wheel ortool has a plurality of radially extending finishing units or packsmounted in a circumferential series on a hub structure. The finishingunits or packs are each pivotally mounted on the body structure by adual clip-type assembly including an inner axially elongated and rigidpivoting clip member forming the primary component of the pack and anouter axially elongated clamping or clip member supporting or carryingthe finishing or fill material and forming the secondary component ofthe pack. The pivotal mount of the inner clip member is afforded at aninner axially extending keyhole-type opening of the clip or at an axialthrough-bore, either of which formations at least partially encirclesand is adapted to pivot on an axial pin component located adjacent theouter periphery of the hub structure. At a point radially outwardly ofits pivot pin bore, as well as of the outer periphery of the hubstructure, the inner clip member has an axially slidabl'e, dove-tail ortongue-and-groove type connection to the aforementioned secondary,radially outwardly exposed outer clip or clamping member which, like theinner clip member, extends the entire axial length of the pack. Theouter clamping member has a pair of radial arms which receives the fillor finishing material therebetween. In any one of a number of versionsof dovetail, tongue-and-groove, or keyhole type connections between theprimary inner clip member and the secondary outer clip member, thelatter is slidably assembled on, and removable from, the former topermit a ready installation and replacement of the secondary clip memberin relation to the primary clip member and the hub structure.

16 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures HINGE TYPE FINISHING PACKS WITH REPLACEABLEUNITS FOR CYLINDRICAL HUB STRUCTURES CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATEDAPPLICATIONS My co-pending application, Ser. No. 155,733, filed June 23,1971 now abandoned, discloses the general type of forked-section clipmember which pivots a unit of fill or finishing material on the hubstructure. My earlier co-pending application, Ser. No. 885,734, filedDec. 17, 1969, now US. Pat. No. 3,685,217, illustrates and describesvarious forms of hub structures provided with pivotally mountedfinishing units of the general sort dealt with herein, although not asassociated with an inner pivotal mounting clip member which may form apermanent component of the hub structure. A concurrently filedapplication, Ser. No. 253,237, filed May 15, 1972, deals with a dualclip-type pack pivoting concept generally similar to that of the presentapplication.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The improvedcomposite pack and pivoting clip concept of the invention findsapplication in a large number of rotative surface finishing operations,specifically, in the rough or finish working, brushing, buffing,burnishing or polishing of metal or non-metal parts, in which varioustypes of fill material is utilized, as an example, a stacked pack ofmore or less abrasive sheets, cotton or sisal material. I am aware of noprior art references pertinent to the combination of a hub mounted innerclip member and a replaceable, cartridge-type secondary clip member withfill material as herein shown and described.

2. Description of the Prior Art The US. Pat. No. 3,058,269 to Block, ofOct. 16, 1962, shows an abrasive drum construction in which an anchormeans of the abrasive pack is assembled to a drum member by an axialslidingmovement. However, the anchor member is received substantially inits entirety buried within the peripheral confine of the drum, and thereisno suggestion of an inner clip component assembled to the drumstructure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The improvement represents a considerablerefinement of the type of the finishing pack pivoting concept which isthe subject of my above identified application, Ser. No. 155 ,733,characterized by a very stable direct pivotal mounting of the fillmaterial in relation to a wheel structure and drive hub, utilizing anextrusion section for that purpose. However, the present inventionprovides a very simple and expeditious means for removing and replacinga worn pack or unit of fill material, or one presenting a differentsheet or fill material characteristic, in an operation involving thesimple sliding of a secondary clip member, to which the sheets or fillmaterials are secured, out of its dove-tail type connection with aprimary, permanently assembled clip member, and its sliding replacementby another similar pack. These operations are facilitated by reason ofthe fact, as noted in the Abstract, that the secondary clip is fullyexposed outwardly of the hub structure, hence accessible for handmanipulation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an end elevational view ofarotary finishing tool having a hub-applied body platestructure,'show.ing

a part of a circumferential array of like abrasive packs as replaceablyapplied by radially inner and outer clip members of the clip and stacksub-assembly of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view of the hub structure and pack combination,being partially broken away and sectioned on the broken but generallyradial line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end or axial elevational view showing in larger scale analternative embodiment of the clip unit featured in FIGS. 1 and 2, butsimilarly having slidingly associated permanent and replaceable extrudedclip components; and

FIGS. 4-7, inclusive, are other views similar to FIG. 3 of still furtheralternative, dual-clip arrangements contemplated by the invention. 7

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A typical rotary finishing wheel ortool 10 according to the invention will basically comprise a mountingplate unit or hub structure 12, adapted to be fixedly connected to adriving wheel hub (not shown) at axially aligned plate openings 13, anda plurality of like sheet pack units, each generally designated 14,which are pivotally mounted individually to the structure 12 in equalcircumferential spacing about the latter. The number of packs may, ofcourse, vary but preferably and usually the circumferential arraythereof is such as to afford, when flexed, a substantially continuouscircumferential rotative finishing engagement with a workpiece of theouter extremities of the packs 14.

Each of the packs or units 14, as an example, comprises a combination ofa sub-assembly of a stack of identical abrasive sheets 15 or other fillmaterial, and an improved composite clamping and pivoting unit,generallydesignated' 16, by which the sheets or fill materials areclamped together and pivotally mounted to the hub structure 12. Thesheets of sub-assembly 16 are of plain rectangular outline and mayillustratively be of an abrasive coated, emery-type cloth or fabric, orof any other structural composition, as mentioned in my above-identifiedco-pending applications. These sheets may be uniformly oriented in astack with the abrasive surfaces of all thereof facing circumferentiallyin the direction of rotation of the wheel or the leading sheet of eachpack reversed so that the abrasive surface thereon faces opposite to thedirection of rotation in the manner shown and described in my co-pendingapplication, Ser. No. 253,236, filed on May 15, 1972, concurrentlyherewith.

It should be appreciated that other types of fill materials may be, usedin sub-assembly 16 in place of the abrasive sheets 15 such as cotton,fabric, sisal, leather, brush-like materials, paper and other types andforms of fill materials now utilized or which can be adapted toperformthe required surface finishing operations on metal or non-metalmaterials. In addition the outerworking edges of the abrasive sheets 15or of the selected fill materials may be straight as shown or contouredto fit the work. Also the sheets 15 or selected fill materials may beslashed to allow greater flexibility and enable the finishing ofcontours without pre-contouring the pack as is well known in the art.

The pivoting inner clip unit 16 for each pack 14 comprises two somewhatdissimilar components, both rigid sections of a metal or non-metalextrusion, but seetioned differently, as will be described. One of theseis a primary, radially extending pivoting inner clip mem-. ber 17 of thegeneral nature illustrated and described in my co-pending application,Ser. No. 155,733. Clip member 17 is slidably connected thereto asecondary, radially extending outer cartridge-type pack clamping or clipmember of the unit 16, which member is generally designated 18 and islater described in detail.

Inner clip member 17 is coextensive in axial length with the sheets 15,the pack 14 being confined fairly closely at opposite axial ends thereofby two axially end-most plates 19 of the hub mounting plate structure12, yet is free to pivot individually in action relative to thoseplates, as well as relative to-each optional inter mediate plate 19' ofthe same structure. In the general manner of my application Ser. No.885,734, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,685,217, said plates are spaced axiallyfrom one another, as an example, by tubular sleeves 20 encirclingelongated securing pins 21 which pass through axially aligned openingsin plates 19, 19'. Opposite ends of the pins 21 are welded at 22 to endplates 19, or may be rigidly end-restrained relative thereto, as by nutand screw means. However, it is contemplated in some instances that theplate assembly 12 be a permanent rigid structure with the radially innerpack pivoting clip members 17 permanently assembled to that structure.However in some casesit is contemplated that the inner clip members 17may be removed from the hub structure 12 to repair or replace damagedinner clip members without requiring the disposal of the entire hubstructure.

The present invention may also be used with other forms of hubstructures, as an example, as shown in my copending application, Ser.No. 885,734, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,685,217, and in my U.S. Pat. Nos.3,535,833 and 3,621,622.

Therefore, prior to completion of said assembly a series of elongatedpack pivoting pins 23, in a number equalling the abrasive packs 14 andequally spaced circumferentially about the plates 19 in radially outwardparallelism with the securing pins 21, are seated in inner recesses 24of those plates, having been passed through a pivot bore 25 in ablock-like inner portion 26 of the form of clip member 17 shown in FIGS.1 and 2, as well as through an opening in the intermediate plate 19', ifpresent. Thus, the inner clips 17 are pivotally premounted usually aspermanent components of the plate assembly 12, affording a radiallyinner swing of the associated outer clips 18 and the several packs 14 onthe axes of the pins 23. The clip 17 projects radially outwardly of theperiphery of plate unit 12, where itis formed to provide radial arms 27defining therebetween a radially outwardly opening, dove-tail shapedrecess or groove 28. In this groove a correspondingly sectioned integraltang part 29 of the secondary outer clip member or component isslidingly mated, with a sufficiently tight frictional fit to preventaxial displacement in operation, while still permitting initialinstallation and replacement of outer clip 18 relative to the inner clip17. Radial separation of those parts is, of course, impossible.

The outer clip member 18, in common with other extruded clip versionsshown herein, presents a body portion 30 from which its tang 29 radiallyprojects, and a piar of clamp arms 31 projecting in the opposite radialdirection. With the stack of abrasive sheets 15 or other fill materialinserted between arms 31 and abutted against clip body portion 30,sturdy staples 32 are driven through the arms and fill material tocomplete the assembly of the replaceable pack constituent of theinvention.

FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of the invention, which isspecially designated by the reference nu- I meral 34, although 'it ispractically identical to the clip embodiment 16 of FIGS. 1 and 2, and itindeed presents more clearly than those views the structural detailscommon to both forms.

' Accordingly, reference numerals corresponding to those appearing inFIGS. 1 and 2 are employed to designate corresponding parts or detailsof the embodiment 34 of FIG. 3; and further description will bedispensed with. This procedure, to the extent possible, will be followedin connection with the description of the further embodimentsillustrated in FIGS. 4 -7, incluslve.

The radially outwardly extending arms of clip extrusion 31 are shown inFIG. 3 as projecting from the body portion 30 in a mildly divergentrelationto one another, but are compressed into tight engagement withthe radially inner ends of the stack of abrasive sheets or other fillmaterial in the final stapling or equivalent operation on thereplaceable clip unit. Otherwise, the composite clip unit 34 substitutesfor the through-bore 25 of FIGS. 1 and 2, entirely surrounded by thematerial of the body portion 26, a keyhole-shaped opening 35,co-extensive in length with the pack. The neck 36 of this openingcommunicates radially outwardly with the dove-tail formation 28 in whichthe tang 29 of outer clip 18 matingly engages in a sliding fashion.

The modified version 38 of FIG. 4 resembles the embodiment 34 in itsretention of a keyhole-type pivoting opening 35, but the throat of thatformation opens to a second, generally keyhole-type formation 39presenting inturned, integral ears 40, which formation slidably receivesextruded clip 41 of the replaceable unit. For this purpose, that cliphas an integral quasi-cylindrical interlock formation 42slidablymated'in the keyhole opening 39. i

The version 44 of FIG. 5 features an inner clip extrusion or member 45which is generally of the outline of a key. It comprises a generallycylindrical inner extremity 46 having an axial through-bore 47 at itspivot zone, and a reduced thickness neck 48 integrally connecting with agenerally C-shaped portion'49; the latter provides a tongue-and-grooveopening 50 in which a correspondingly shaped inner tang portion 51 ofthe secondary extrusion 52 is slidably received.

The variation 54 of FIG. 6 presents a radially inner portion 55 having apivoting bore at 56, but the neck of the portion 55 is radiallyoutwardly shaped in the general form of a T at 57. This formation hastongueand-groove type sliding engagement by a mated opening 58 of theouter clip extrusion or member 59, an integral cross-piece 60 of thelatter separating opening 58 from the outer arms 31. It is seen that themodification of FIG. 6 is essentially a reversal of the arrangement ofclip member 44 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 presents an embodiment 62 in which the inner clip member 63 has aradially inner through-bore 64 and an outwardly projecting integral neckportion 65 in the general outline of a T. This formation is slidinglyengaged at its circumferentially opposite sides by radially inner arms66 of the outer clip member 67, in a tongue-and-groove fashion at innerextremities 68 of said arms. A cross-piece 69 integrally connects arms31 just outwardly of the inner members neck portion 65 for a snugslidable replacement engagement of outer extrusion 67 with the innerclip member 63.

The inner and outer clip members disclosed herein may be made frommetals or plastic materials by various forming operations includingextruding, molding,

The inner clip members may be permanently mounted in the hub structureas shown in the drawing, forming a throw-away type wheel or hubstructure or the inner clip members may be mounted in a hub structure ofa rotary finishing tool which permits replacement of the inner clipmembers and the packs carried thereby as shown and described in my otherpatents and applications.

What is claimed is:

- l. A pack adapted to be mounted on a rotary wheel hub structure,comprising a radially extending inner clip member having means topivotally engage the same with the hub structure to swing individuallyon an axis paralleling the rotative axis of the hub structure, a unit offinishing material, and mounting means slidably engaging said clipmember to mount said unit of finishing material on said clip member forassembly, removal and replacement in relation to the latter and the hubstructure, without requiring removal of said clip member from the hubstructure.

2. The pack of claim 1, in which said inner clip member has a pivotportion engageable with a pivot part of the hub structure whichparallels the latters rotative axis, and a formation also parallelingsaid axis, said mounting means comprising a clamping member for saidunit of finishing material having a formation in mated, axially slidingengagement with said formation of the inner clip member.

3. The pack of claim 2, in which said clamping member has said matedformation adjacent a radially inner portion thereof.

4. The pack of claim 3, in which said formations of said members havetongue-and-groove type, slidable mating engagement with one another.

5. The pack of claim 2, in which said pivot portion of said inner clipmember has a keyhole-type formation adjacent a radially inner end of themember to pivotally engage said pivot part of the hub structure.

6. The pack of claim 4, in which said pivot portion of said inner clipmember has a keyhole-type formation adjacent a radially inner end of themember to pivotally engage said pivot part of the hub structure.

7. The pack of claim 2, in which said pivot portion of said inner clipmember has an axial through-bore wholly surrounded by the material ofsaid pivot portion and adapted to pivotally engage said pivot part ofthe hub structure.

8. The pack of claim 4, in which said pivot portion of said inner clipmember has an axial through-bore wholly surrounded by the material ofsaid pivot portion and adapted to pivotally engage said pivot part ofthe hub structure.

9. The pack of claim 6, in which a slot portion of said keyhole-typeformation opens radially outwardly to the groove portion of a formationmating said members.

10. The pack of claim 4, in which the groove portion of a formationmating said members is on said inner clip member.

11. The pack of claim 9, in which said formationmating groove portion ison said inner clip member.

12. The pack of claim 4, in which the groove portion of a formationmating said members is on said clamping member.

13. The pack of claim 9, in which said formationmating groove portionison said clamping member.

'14. A pack adapted to be mounted on a rotary hub structure having arotative axis with said pack extending radially outward of theaxis,.comprising a radially extending elongated inner clip member havingmeans adapted to mount the same on the hub structure parallel to therotative axis of the hub structure, a flap-like member of fill materialpresenting a radially outer portion adapted to engage a workpiece, andelongated mounting means including on the inner portion thereof meansslidably engaging said inner clip member to mount said flap-like memberof fill material on said inner clip member for assembly, removal andreplacement in relation to the latter and the hub structure, withoutrequring removal of said inner clip member from the hub structure, saidmounting means having a length generally corresponding to the axiallength of said elongated inner clip member, said mounting means having aradially outer and outwardly extending portion integral with said innerportion and coextensive thereith in overall axial length, to whichoutwardly extending portion a radially inner portion of said flap-likemember is fixedly secured, said mounting means being movable relative tosaid inner clip member in a direction parallel to the rotative axis ofthe hub structure to effect said assembly, removal and replacement withrespect to said inner clip member, said inner clip member including aformation, said mounting means including a formation in mated, axiallysliding engagement with said formation on said inner clip memberthuspreventing movement of said mounting means in a direction other thanparallel to the axis of the hub structure.

15. The pack of claim 14, in which the formations of said inner clipmember and said mounting means have tongue-and-groove type, slidablemating engagement with one another.

16. The pack of claim 14, in which said outwardly extending portion ofsaid mounting means has at least two radially extending,circumferentially spaced arm formations integral and co-extensivetherewith in overall axial length, between which arm formations theradially inner portion of said flap-like member is fixedly secured.

1. A pack adapted to be mounted on a rotary wheel hub structure,comprising a radially extending inner clip member having means topivotally engage the same with the hub structure to swing individuallyon an axis paralleling the rotative axis of the hub structure, a unit offinishing material, and mounting means slidably engaging said clipmember to mount said unit of finishing material on said clip member forassembly, removal and replacement in relation to the latter and the hubstructure, without requiring removal of said clip member from the hubstructure.
 2. The pack of claim 1, in which said inner clip member has apivot portion engageable with a pivot part of the hub structure whichparallels the latter''s rotative axis, and a formation also parallelingsaid axis, said mounting means comprising a clamping member for saidunit of finishing material having a formation in mated, axially slidingengagement with said formation of the inner clip member.
 3. The pack ofclaim 2, in which said clamping member has said mated formation adjacenta radially inner portion thereof.
 4. The pack of claim 3, in which saidformations of said members have tongue-and-groove type, slidable matingengagement with one another.
 5. The pack of claim 2, in which said pivotportion of said inner clip member has a keyhole-type formation adjacenta radially inner end of the member to pivotally engage said pivot partof the hub structure.
 6. The pack of claim 4, in which said pivotportion of said inner clip member has a keyhole-type formation adjacenta radially inner end of the member to pivotally engage said pivot partof the hub structure.
 7. The pack of claim 2, in which said pivotportion of said inner clip member has an axial through-bore whollysurrounded by the material of said pivot portion and adapted topivotally engage said pivot part of the hub structure.
 8. The pack ofclaim 4, in which said pivot portion of said inner clip member has anaxial through-bore wholly surrounded by the material of said pivotportion and adapted to pivotally engage said pivot part of the hubstructure.
 9. The pack of claim 6, in which a slot portion of saidkeyhole-type formation opens radially outwardly to the groove portion ofa formation mating said members.
 10. The pack of claim 4, in which thegroove portion of a formation mating said members is on said inner clipmember.
 11. The pack of claim 9, in which said formation-mating grooveportion is on said inner clip member.
 12. The pack of claim 4, in whichthe groove portion of a formation mating said members is on saidclamping member.
 13. The pack of claim 9, in which said formation-matinggroove portion is on said clamping member.
 14. A pack adapted to bemounted on a rotary hub structure having a rotative axis with said packextending radially outward of the axis, comprising a radially extendingelongated Inner clip member having means adapted to mount the same onthe hub structure parallel to the rotative axis of the hub structure, aflap-like member of fill material presenting a radially outer portionadapted to engage a workpiece, and elongated mounting means including onthe inner portion thereof means slidably engaging said inner clip memberto mount said flap-like member of fill material on said inner clipmember for assembly, removal and replacement in relation to the latterand the hub structure, without requring removal of said inner clipmember from the hub structure, said mounting means having a lengthgenerally corresponding to the axial length of said elongated inner clipmember, said mounting means having a radially outer and outwardlyextending portion integral with said inner portion and coextensivethereith in overall axial length, to which outwardly extending portion aradially inner portion of said flap-like member is fixedly secured, saidmounting means being movable relative to said inner clip member in adirection parallel to the rotative axis of the hub structure to effectsaid assembly, removal and replacement with respect to said inner clipmember, said inner clip member including a formation, said mountingmeans including a formation in mated, axially sliding engagement withsaid formation on said inner clip member thus preventing movement ofsaid mounting means in a direction other than parallel to the axis ofthe hub structure.
 15. The pack of claim 14, in which the formations ofsaid inner clip member and said mounting means have tongue-and-groovetype, slidable mating engagement with one another.
 16. The pack of claim14, in which said outwardly extending portion of said mounting means hasat least two radially extending, circumferentially spaced arm formationsintegral and co-extensive therewith in overall axial length, betweenwhich arm formations the radially inner portion of said flap-like memberis fixedly secured.